Programming toolkit for developing case management software applications

Abstract

A robust toolkit that can be configured and assembled in an object-oriented manner to develop a custom case management software application. The toolkit provides a set of software components that serve as a framework for integration with off-the-shelf components. The software components are organized in a vertical layered architecture, with each layer depending upon the layers below it. The toolkit includes a top enterprise application layer, a middle case management application layer, and a bottom customized application layer. The toolkit allows developer to focus on meeting the specific case management needs of a target business / organization, instead of developing case management business logic and application logic from the ground up.

Description

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS[0001]This application claims the benefit of co-pending provisional patent application Ser. No. 60 / 751,248 entitled “E-Invoicing Case Management System”, filed on Dec. 16, 2005, the entire disclosure of which is incorporated by reference herein.FIELD OF THE INVENTION[0002]The present invention is directed toward a toolkit for developing software applications and, more particularly, toward an integration framework that enables developers to use, customize and integrate the toolkit components with other “off-the-shelf” software components to develop custom case management software applications.BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION[0003]Currently, an array of software products are available that are packaged and marketed as case management software. The majority of these software products are focused on medical and legal case management applications. Although these software products offer a wide range of features, they support a limited degree of customizat...

AI Technical Summary

Benefits of technology

[0021]The present invention provides a foundation for the rapid development of custom, complex and robust case management software applications at a low cost. The inventive framework provides an open architecture for customization that provides optimal performance, and includes security features for the safeguarding of application and business data. The present invention provides significant advantages over commercial off-the-shelf software tools by enabling true customization to requirements versus forcing users to change their requirements to conform to a software tool.

[0027]A robust and stable framework for developing case management software applications which reduces risks. The customizable inventive toolkit components have evolved through various cycles of testing and refinements, thus providing a robust and stable framework for developing custom case management software applications.

Problems solved by technology

Although these software products offer a wide range of features, they support a limited degree of customization, which typically results in an impedance mismatch between the software's capabilities and a business's case management needs.

Businesses that choose to utilize the available software applications are forced to raise their implementation costs by either changing their current business processes and information systems for managing cases or sponsoring the modification of the software products by the software vendors to suit the business's particular needs.

However, each business will typically require its own customization to the case management software, which is not available in current software products without additional expense.

The current case management software market is a heterogeneous mix of software products aimed at specific vertical markets, (e.g., medical, legal), with limited capability for customization and no viability to be adopted for a different vertical market despite the significant commonality of capabilities / features across case management software products.

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